Monday 16 February 2009

FuFu Travel - Seven Star Crags, Zhaoqing
Wednesday - 31 . December . 2008


Had our breakfast at the hotel.



They usually eat very less for breakfast.


I have a big stomach!


There's a bar beside the restaurant.


The view from our hotel's restaurant.


The Bank of China is highest building (on the left) in Zhaoqing.


We missed the food festival!


We're going to explore Seven Star Crags.

The Seven Star Crags (七星岩), are located at the fringe of Zhaoqing (肇慶) by the Star Lake National Park (星湖風景名勝區) and form one of the most scenic places in Guangdong Province, in South China. Visiting the Seven Star Crags, you would be able to discover its natural wonders such as its magical crags, steep rocks and intriguing caves. I really enjoyed exploring the park and had an unforgettable experience with Jodie and Sum. We walked around for about five hours and saw maybe half of it.


It was a long walking day like yesterday.



Those fishes are really big.

Across the lake from the town, we paid RMB 50 to get into the Star Lake National Park (星湖風景名勝區). We walked through a long bridge to the Seven Star Crags park and passed a small pavilion along the way. We saw couples of people in a very small canoe style boats collecting fishes by the traditional way of fishery.


The Star Lake of Zhaoqing.



The smaller scale version of the classic scenery of Guilin.

There is plenty of hiking, cave exploring and navigation of underground rivers by boat. It is a national park and does receive a large number of tourists, but definitely worth a day to scope out. These scenic areas are refreshing destinations in fast moving cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Seven Star Crags is a good way to see the natural smaller scale version of the classic scenery of Guilin though. (We wished to visit Guilin actually.)


This lake is basically surrounded by caves.



The limestone crags are naturally arranged in the same formation as the seven stars of the Northern Dipper (北斗七星). Legend has it that the pillars of limestone grew from stars that fell from the skies. It's the first wetlands of China and has been designated a national park.


It's the first wetlands of China and been designated a national park.


On the way to the top.


Hardly we could see the downtown clearly.

We then followed a trail of steps leads up to the top of Tianzhu Crag (天柱岩). The trail has been concerted over and in most parts, especially where there is a steep drop down on the side there are handrails.
Most of the path was fairly wide, but in a couple of places we need to go through a small cutting in the rock and narrow stairway. On the half way up, there has a temple carved into the rock and a convenience store selling souvenirs.


Thanks for the handrails!




We were almost on the top.


The pavilion on the peak.

The views from the top were superb, marred only by the smog like haze that engulfs the whole area, nonetheless, it was another great view to me, at least. A small pavilion is perched on top of the crag, providing a perfect place to rest while admiring the view of the park. A splash of breathtaking scenery caught my eyes from the left to right.
It certainly well worth hiking up for the scenery.


The awesome rock formation on the peak.


We had a short rest inside the pavilion.




We took pictures at different compass point on the peak.


The lush of greenery on the other side of the peak.


The view of other the crags from the other side.


Another view of crags, lake, bridge, pavilion and in the distance mountains.


As if i was looking at the nature from the heaven.


Look! Couldn't believe, we had the same expression.

Abandoning our first route back down as it was a very narrow and steep path, we retraced our steps and wound our way back down the hill. The path out of the caves took us to the other side of the island.



We gotta go down for other attractions.


This stairway was damn narrow.




We found a good place to take pictures!


The face showed FuFu was not willing to leave the peak.


Wonder it is naturally or purposely made.


The steep stair steps.


Wow, this picture was absolutely nice!



I then walked to the pond we had seen from the top of the peak with the enormous carps while having toilet break. People were feeding them and it looked like the fish were climbing over each other to get at the food.



The tastefully illuminated limestone crags.

Each caves has its own different characteristics. Some are deep, tortuous and pitch dark while some brightly lit up with their entrances. Among them, we went in Longyan Cave(龍岩洞) and Bixia Cave (碧霞洞).Though the ticket does not cover for the entrance to the caves, the extra RMB 10 was worth for the decorated limestone of various shapes lit up with bizzare rainbow coloured lights. Visitors are advised to visit the cave scenery in a boat as the walking route is not that attractive.


Surprisingly, as we went further into the cave it got warmer and muggier.


Apparently it is warm in the winter but cold in the summer.



A walk path, lined with decorative palm trees, leads you passed more illuminated rock formations and guided us to the Cave of Thousand Poems. The cave is large and is open to the elements but it has been turned into a big book. The walls are covered with different tablets of Chinese script of the poets over the hundreds of years.


Cave of Thousand Poems.


The calligraphy written on the cave was repainted for us to read.


The Five Dragons Pavilion.

The Five Dragons Pavilion (五龍亭) is a central two-storey pagoda with four smaller ones at each compass point, all built on stilts into the water. A large part of the waterway was clogged with water lilies but unfortunately not in bloom on the last day of the year.


The famous pavilions on the lake.


The view was pretty beautiful.






We camwhored again.


No kidding, i really thought of staying there for a night.


The pavilion with the zigzag bridge.


We purposely walk to the opposite of the lake.


Just to take the pictures with the Five Dragons Palace.


The word of Seven Star Crags written on one of the caves.




We decided to leave for lunch after five hours of walking.


We came out from the east entrance.

East entrance of the park is a residential area actually. It was good as i could see the lifestyle of the local there. After a quick shooting we hopped a bus back to the hubbub of Zhaoqing.



The grocery shop.


The houses.


The tricycle.


The local's motorcycle-taxi.


'Ops, i wanna eat dog here!'. 'No, we gotta go back to downtown'.

Apart of the Seven Star Crags, Zhaoqing also famous for its glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in lotus leaves that called 'Guo Jing Zong' (裹蒸粽). People say that you are not counted as having been to Zhaoqing if you have not tasted the well-known 'Guo Jing Zong' there.


The famous glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in lotus leaves.


The closed-up of it (sold from other restaurant).


Where we had our late lunch.


The cases of the sauces chopsticks and the tea pot are so cute.


Huuh huuh, our favourite fried dumpling.


The beef noodle if i don't remember wrongly.


The yummy spare ribs congee.


The must-try glutinous rice dumpling!


The taste is slightly different with our bakzhang.


We had a great meal.


The motorcycle taxi-driver sending short messages.


The street cleaner??


The tricycle is to carry stuff not people.


Waiting bus in front of the Star Lake Mall.


Our next target - Mei An.

Mei An (梅庵) is the most famous Chan temple in Zhaoqing. It was built in 996 during the Song Dynasty to commemorate the 6th Patriarch Huineng (佛教禅宗六祖惠能). Legend has it that Huineng has a great fondness for plum trees and he planted one sapling here on top of this molehill. Thus this temple is named Mei (plum) An.


The main entrance of the temple.


Dang, it closed at 5pm. We couldn't get in.

As it was still light, we decided to head down to see the only remaining complete ancient Old City Walls (古城墙) which are over 800 years old with a restored temple. These must have been about ten or fifteen metres high and were very thick and solid. Again we were late to visit this. We just walked a little way along the walls and then headed back into town.


The pagoda on the old city wall.


Dang, the old city wall was closed for visitation too!


Shengji Restaurant (勝記菜館).

For dinner, we went to the city's most renowned local restaurant. On our way into the restaurant, they had pictures on the wall of some of the dishes and it was fully seated with people, so very smugly we looked forward to a good meal. However, the taste was way too common for the three gourmands who had been eating from Guangzhou to Foshan then Zhaoqing. The price was reasonable though.


The sweet and sour spare ribs (甜酸排骨).


Steamed pork with taro (芋頭扣肉)


Sai Yong Choi Soup (西洋菜上湯).


The chicken with its head attached (醤油雞).


FuFu special rice (白飯一點紅)

After dinner, we walked around the downtown and shopping mall as it was still early for the countdown. We even went to a cybercafe to kill an hour before really rushing for the countdown with the local.


The centre of Times Square.


Kids learning roller skating in the shopping mall.


This tells us that roller skating is quite popular in Zhaoqing.


Everyone was heading to the square in front of the lake.


The road was occupied by teenagers.


It was damn crowded in front of Times Square as well.

That was my very first time to countdown for the new year in China. It was totally out of what i had imagined. I was so surprised to see the countdown that was so organised with the civilised teenagers although it was extremely crowded until we couldn't really move our body. Five, four, three, two, one, everyone shouted out 'Happy New Year' loudly and joyfully despite no gorgeous fireworks come along.



Happy New Year (新年快樂).

I did not know whether Zhaoqing is famous for oyster or not but i saw bunch of people having it since last night. Thus we entered the restaurant for our supper in the early morning on the first day of 2009.


The oyster restaurant (程村蠔城).


Jodie wishes everything will be fine to her.


New Year wish = money, money and money.


In 2009, FuFu wants healthy, studies and career.


Cheers, 乾杯, かんぱい, Yum Xing (飲勝).


The yummy sweet steamed oyster.


The salty grilled oyster with sauce and garlic.


The oily fried noodle with beef.



Ouch - we dipped oyster with wasabi and soy sauce.


Phew, first meal of the first day of the year!


Happy new year. Friendships forever.


The happy moment we had on the first day in 2009.


Wish all of us have a blessing year of 2009.

55 comments:

SIMMY said...

the scenery is good. next time should ask me go along..hehe

歪歪 aka Kay said...

有很多張照片感覺上在拍偶像劇~美美

那個白飯的感覺很不錯,有點舍不得吃
雖然只是一小塊的辣椒

生蠔啊!!我要吃!

十六 Keaton said...

吃這么多生蠔
我也要吃!!

天啊!!這么大“狗肉城”三個字出現
不能接受
dog dog這么可愛
不能吃!!

Mei-Wah said...

oysters! omg, my fave~ :)
you sure had tonnes of fun traveling~

p/s: the v-day photo is not for show-off :( the photo was taken during last year's xmas! lol~

Chi Leong said...

以前看那些风景都是看古装片的
现在是看照片,感觉很不一样

Kai and Baobei said...

yoooooo, here is the right place, haha! 你也很会玩哩,不停地到处走 :P

Anonymous said...

這個地方也是在廣東嗎?

Unknown said...

哇~生蠔啊~

said...

wow man~ u really go to a lot of places la...
the sceneries are nice...btw, where ya frm?

vialentino said...

wow....i wish to attend ur wedding...french food...cool!

迷迭香 said...

so much food!!
wasted hor miss the food festival...>.<"

迷迭香 said...

u tried the dog meat ? =.="

zzhen said...

1.風景很美
2.八一下,她是你女友?><
3.如果可以寫一點中文會更好,這樣方便我閱讀。><
4.文章/照片太多,再短一些更好

3至4只是我個人看法 ><

lock said...

beautiful scenery!

btw, if u could reduce the size and resolution of your photos, it is better for loading!

Anonymous said...

感觉你每天都在玩~

羡慕死了啦!

小雪 said...

美不勝收~但是我畏高~
旅行還吃那么好噢~
真的很開心啊~

Serina said...

有一张照片我很喜欢,很象一幅画

Maonoko said...

风景好漂亮,吃的也很吸引人!!
那个oyster看了很tempting耶。
为什么你吃那么多都不会长肉的?XD

Feeling said...

wow!! many pic again!! very impressed esp the koi pond one! i like it so much =D

Chin Weng 茶先生 said...

哇,牛年来的那天,那儿真的是人潮汹涌。如果是我,一定没人潮吞没了。

Bengbeng said...

not only the koi pond one. there r so many great pics. but i normally dont look at food pics much. maybe it is because I am trying to lose weight :)

fufu said...

SIMMY : hahahahaa, i am going to tibet next time i fly to china, wanna join? hihihi


歪歪 : 拍偶像劇? 我想耶
那個白飯是我自己加一小塊的辣椒上去的
效果很好 很開心有人欣賞
生蠔 點wasabi好吃

十六夜真人 : 我們每個人吃了十個蠔
聽説狗肉冬天吃 會保暖很好吃的
黑狗更好吃 hohohoho

fufu said...

mei wah : oysters with wasabi is another ohmmmm ya =) yeah i had tons of great travelling as always =D


That My Goal : 我們去的地方的风景跟古装片的還相差很遠哦 古装片的有些是假的哦


Kai and Baobei : 對 就是這裡哦
趁年輕就要到處走哦 會很開心的

fufu said...

swordman : 對廣東省的一個地區哦
你下一次去廣州記得要來這裡哦


ahman : 生蠔很好吃哦


LeuMaS : yeah i love the awesome views as well... erm i am from msia la

fufu said...

vialentino : hahahha okok! wait ok?
and gotta give me big angpow then!!


迷迭香 : ok, kinda disappointed as we missed the festival... wonder how it looks like though... anyway will visit again probably 5-10yrs later, i didnt tried the meat of dog... wanna try but my friend said better not to eat at the not familiar dog meat restaurant =(


龍貓 : 1.真的很美
2.她是我的網友 現在是好朋友了
3.好 有機會議定會寫中文
4.文章/照片太多,因爲我們拍太多照片了 看看我以後可不可以把他們寫成兩篇 或把照片聯係起來
謝謝你寶貴的意見!!!我一定會improve的哦

fufu said...

lock : if i reduce the size of the photos, the quality will be not that good...so for you guys to enjoy the pictures, guess i shouldnt reduce to the minimum... just be patient for the loading ok? sorry =.="


dolphine : 那時我的年尾假期啦
那裏有每天玩?沒有醬多錢咯


小雪 : 旅行都要吃東西的嘛 @_<
我們真的玩得很開心啊

fufu said...

serina : 哪一张照片吖?


M@onoko : 那邊的景點真的很好
oyster 也很很好吃
我不长肉?有啦,可能是我們有運動 有消化咯


feeling : okok will try to upload less pictures next time =) only like the koi pond picture???

fufu said...

Chin Weng 茶先生 : 牛年来的那天 真的很人潮汹涌哦 幸好我們沒被人潮吞没 =)


bengbeng : hehehe, i like most of the pictures =) wanna lose weight? do more exercises then, or hit the gym more often ya...

~珊姑娘~ said...

no kidding!if i were, i oso wish to stay at there for 1 night!
beautiful lake view^^

七星岩,actually i never heard! should say actually many place tat i dunno but know from ur travel^^

thx for sharing!

& ur delicious foods make me hungry now!!!!

fufu said...

珊姑娘 : hihihi, basically staying overnight could really see a city clearly =) 七星岩 is a great attraction!! its my pleasure to share and intro those tourist attractions to you all, i am so happy to hear that, hihihi do come here often ya...because i still have tons of stories and pictures to share =D

3ugene said...

china got lots of natural scenery
^-^

Anonymous said...

haha...I think u should work in travel agency~Tour Leader suits u :P

奈斯哈乳豆 said...

很想和你一起“旅行”。觉得会很不错下~

even said...

我的故鄉啊.....
(可是我在香港出生~我都未去過!^^''')
我發誓~今生總要去一次!^0^

尋根之旅...^o^

Kai and Baobei said...

老板,也要有经济能力才能到处走嘛... hahahaha !

fufu said...

3ugene : totally agree!! but US, europe, india, africa, south america have other different natures too ya


june : i dont wanna be a tour leader... rather i wanna explore =)


坏男孩 : 不是我買花讚花香
跟我去玩當然一定會很好的 =)

fufu said...

even : 甘你就要快一d去啦
趁肇慶仲未發達就好去探索你的根
如果吾係 發展左只有高樓大廈看


Kai and Baobei : 哈哈 東南亞不是很貴罷了 不要買那麽多名牌就可以玩咯=)

Kai and Baobei said...

我要去我要去,你买机票我买包包!下次约我们嘛,你当领队我搞笑,一定合作无间~(o_o)"

Kai and Baobei said...

我不提倡名牌的啦,我是杂牌王!!! (*o*)

candygan said...

羡慕!!羡慕!!我几时才有机会去咧???

Anonymous said...

ref yr comment, perhaps i will vote for you if the time comes :)

Anonymous said...

the food is great so is the scenery.

i should better get a camera before i go traveling!

Chris said...

En... i never heard of this city b4..

Landy said...

你如果回来马来西亚,你可以带团出国。至少,这里已经有很多你的忠实fans了。呵呵

Ed said...

生蠔很大一個 @@
其實 現在的你位於哪個國家...? O__O

fufu said...

Kai and Baobei : 我們不是賣藝吖
去旅行一定要玩得開心 我不要醬辛苦帶隊咯
但是有時買一些名牌 也是一種鼓勵
日後要努力工作賺錢 但是不要經常買名牌哦


candygan : 你一定有機會的哦
現在先用工讀書或努力工作


isaiah : hehehe okok thanks in advance =)

fufu said...

renaye : you should get a better camera then


chris : now you knew the city =)


landy : 我不想帶隊 很悶的工作
我比較喜歡去玩去旅行
如果帶的是一班朋友 我一定會去的
但是帶團的行程都很趕的 不適合我
看來我還是不應該帶隊的

fufu said...

Mr. Ed : 生蠔真的很大很甜很好吃
我現在在家鄉哦 還在找工作哦

Ed said...

Oooh 原來已經玩完了 O__O
哈哈 有空可以到台北找我~^^

海市蜃樓 said...

真的是山明水秀,風景太美了。可是又是走路,你們的腳骨力應該不錯囖!

fufu said...

Mr.Ed : 好!去臺北一定找你玩
你要陪我去野柳九份等等的景點哦


海市蜃樓 : 哈哈哈 去玩一定要走咯
不然飛?坐車一定有啦 景點一定要慢慢欣賞的

Anonymous said...

wat a wonderful honeymoon getaway! Lovely scenery! If go visit with a group of friends would not dat bad either. wa travel here travel there sure veli tired but enjoyful rite ^^

fufu said...

Lily : yeah i had a great time there with my friends, its always good to travel with gang of travel kakis =) it makes the trip even funnier erm, we were very tired but it worth everything =)

Wois said...

不喜欢石灰岩里放着七彩的灯光。。。展现不出石灰石天然的美感。。。。

fufu said...

Wois : 每個洞裏面都是黑黑一片的
如果石灰岩里不放着七彩的灯光
我們什麽都看不見 還講什麽天然的美感呢 =)